authoritarianism Flashcards
what is democratic backsliding
te third wave of autocracy occuring in the modern world which ivolves countiers reveting back to authoritarianism
Hungary example of backsliding
Oban in 2017 crated a ‘illiberal democracy’ of which they controlled the media and limites who go what seats in parliament but have elections still
economic causes of the third wave
2008 financial crisis people have less faith in democratic governemnt to controll thier omney poeple want to take back control
war on terror cause
democracy has been shown to nto respect human rights so why should we contue with them
waterboarding and guantanmo bay
other causes of thrid wave fo autocracy
- rise in nationalism
- rise in populist leaders wanting to take the country back to the golden days
- voters feeling that democracy no longer works
- increase in alternative models that promote strength
what are the featres of totalitarianism?
- one encompassing idelogy which explains everything and affects every social interaciton (like cmmunism in north korea)
- singe party leader who is charismatic
mobilisationof support of leader - state ownership of media
- violence and terror
case study: cambodia exampl of totalitarianism
1975 pot set up a commmuist ditatorship wanting ot take the country back to its agrarian roots
25% of the population killed who resebled the ‘bourgeusis; like people who worse glasses
difference between totalitarianism and Autocracy?
totalitarinism is idoelgoila and autocracy doesnt care about idelgoy as long as they have power
what is a hybrid reigme
reigmes that have element of autocracy and democracy making them hard to fit into a category
ex. north korea is autocratic but has elections
criticism of hybrid reigemes
the concept is to vague only descrbes a handfull of states
case study angola as a hybrid reigemes
- after MPLa v UNITA parties had a civil war there was a transitionto democratic elections witha. new consittion
- in 2017 joalawrence taken power nad in 2022 he (possibly) lost an electionbutchanges ther esult
angola were heading towards democracy but have failed
what are the main causes of authoritariansim?
- history
-instutioal reasons - social vlaues and clutre
- economic factors
- geopoliticla factors
instiutional factors explained?
- countries wither had non existent or weak institutions and are used to having one man rule or a small group
- upon liberation countries want to getrid of colonialinsuttions that are nominally democratic
culture cause of authoritarianism explained?
huntingtons clash of civilisations some countries cultures just dont allow for demcoracy
geopolitical cause explained?
- duirng the cold war america just wanted countreis to be anti soviet, therefore autocratic countries got away with it and were even sponsered by the US as long as they were anti soviet
- after the civil war thesecountreis simply jsut adapted to more modern autocracies hidden by elections
example of the republic of congo for geopoitical causes
- leader of congo supported whoever wuld give him money
- wehnthe soviet union fell he needed money so e held elections to loook democratic so that france would finaicially support them
- he stilll gets 90% of the vote
example of single party reigme
vietnam:
the communist party maintain legitimacy through the leaders charisma, economic modernisation and the rueof law to make the ocuntry seem democratic
example of a military reigeme
burma:
1962 ne win took power in a military coup andretained power throughoutthe 1990s through repression
in 2011 a turn to democracy began
in 2021 a coup brough the military back to power after anulling the elecgtion which the national league for democracy won on a landsalde
example of a monarchichal reigme
saudi arabia who have ruled since 1932 and mainted due to leitimacy over oi and mecca and medina
example of modern ‘dominant party reigemes’
people action party in singapore:
have elections but they do things suchas create minority majoirty counsitencies to dillute the oppositons voice and sometiems put enelcted people in parlaiemnt
what are the two type sof modern autoratic regieme?
- competative:
electiosna re held and the leaders cna potetianlly loose but chances are slim - electoral:
- elections happen bt only to legitimate the reimege with no other competition
what are gerhewski’s three pillars of authoritarian stability?
- legitmisation
- co-operation
- represssion
list the historical types of authoritariansim
- single party
- military regimes
- monarchical reigemes
what are dominant party reigmes?
- more modern from of authoritarinism:
are the colr dwar autocrcies transfromed to have parliaments whih hold elections that are manipluated in their favour
reigmes with one domiant party and controlled opposition like angola or rwanda
what was linz’s classical defintion of authoritarainsim?
- political systems with limited political pluralism without a elaborate ideology but with destinctive mentalities, mobilisation
a leader or small group excersies power within formally ill defined lmits
21st century definition of authoritarianism
glasius et al argues that it is:
- authoritarian reigemes do not have free and fair electins and violate freedom of expression, acccsess to information an freedom of association
why do authoriatrain regimes need to develop?
authoritarian reigemes do not want to loose power as it tends to leader to their deaths (ghadafi) and its very rare for them to pass away natrually
therefore they need to modernise to secure legitmiacy
what is authoritarian modernisation?
the idea that many countries have surpassed the $14,496 GDP limit that should makes countries democrcies but they continue to be autocracies
(such as Saudi, China ect)
this is becuase these reigmes have modernise and continue to legitimise their rule throught:
- economic growth that is rapid
- political modernisation
how have authoritarin reigmes tries to reshape politics
by trying to join the UN human rights cuncil and stuff
economic causes of authoritarianism
- democratic literature has states that once a countrysurpasses 20,000 per capita income they will become ademocracy. due to gaining a middle class
however countried like saudi arabiaand china have maintained their authoritain dominance after surapssingthis through legitmiation
